Day Trips from Seoul
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 120
JSA
50 km Heyri 31 miles Paju Book City
s
25 km 16 mile
SEOUL Yeongjongdo
Incheon Muuido So-Muuido Suwon
Day Trips from Seoul
The DMZ & JSA p121 For history buffs and collectors of weird and unsettling experiences, a visit to the DMZ buffer zone between North and South Korea is not to be missed; in the JSA you can straddle the line between the two countries.
Heyri & Paju Book City p122 The art and culture village of Heyri is a charming place to browse galleries and while away time in cafes; Paju Book City has premium outlet shopping and another observation post across into North Korea.
Suwon p124 Stride around the World Heritagelisted 18th-century Fortress Walls of the City of Filial Piety, drop by the restored Joseon-dynasty temporary palace and enjoy the charms of the Korean Folk Village.
Incheon p127 Korea opened up to the world at the end of the 19th century in this port city where you’ll find a colourful Chinatown, creative Art Platform and pleasant beaches on nearby islands. 121 the JSA); try Panmunjom Travel Center The DMZ & (www.panmunjomtour.com). JSA Need to Know ¨¨Location 55km north of Seoul ¨ Explore ¨Rules Citizens of certain countries are not allowed on tours that include the JSA. The DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) is a 4km- There are also strict dress and behavioural wide and 240km-long buffer splitting codes. North from South Korea. Lined on both sides by tank traps, electrical fences, land- mines and two armies in full battle readi- ness, it is one of the scariest places on earth. It is also one of the most surreal since it has 1 SIGHTS become a major tourist attraction with sev- The following describes the major stops on eral observatories allowing you to peek into the tour offered by the USO. Dora Observa-
North Korea. D
tory and the Third Tunnel are both in Im- ay The key sight is the Joint Security Area jingak and can be visited independently of (JSA), inside of which is the truce village T
going on a tour; for more details see http:// rips of Panmunjeom – there’s nowhere else in en.paju.go.kr. South Korea where you can get so close f to North Korea (and its soldiers) without MILITARY AREA JSA (PANMUNJEOM) ro being arrested or shot, and the tension is Tours kick off with a rapid-fire briefing by m S m palpable. The only way in this heavily re- the soldier guides at Camp Bonifas. Though stricted area is on an organised tour. your tour will likely be a quiet one, the sol- eoul dier will remind you that this frontier is no
The Best… stranger to violent incidents, one of the most T
¨¨Sight JSA (Panmunjeon) notorious being in 1976 when two US soldiers h e DMZ & JSA & DMZ e ¨¨Sight Dora Observatory (p122) were hacked to death with axes by North Ko- rean soldiers after the former had tried to ¨¨Sight Third Infiltration Tunnel (p122) chop down a tree obstructing the view from a watch tower. Camp Bonifas, the joint US- Top Tip ROK army camp just outside the DMZ, is Book at least two weeks in advance for the named after one of the slain soldiers. popular USO tour, which includes the JSA. Next you will board specially designated If booking other tours, check that they in- buses to travel into the JSA towards the col- clude the JSA. Also ask whether time will lection of blue-painted UN buildings that be filled out with shopping stops, and find constitute Panmunjeom. Official meetings out about refund-rescheduling options if a are still sometimes held here, and in the tour is cancelled – this can very occasion- main conference room mikes on the tables ally happen. constantly record everything said. Strad- dling the ceasefire line, this is the only place where you can safely walk into North Korea. Getting There & Away South Korean soldiers stand guard inside Tour The USO tour is run by Koridoor and out in a modified taekwondo stance – Tours (Map p209; %02 795 3028; www. an essential photo op – and their North Ko- koridoor.co.kr; cash US$80, credit card rean counterparts keep a steady watch, usu- ₩96,000; hoffice 8am-5pm Mon-Sat; mLine ally, but not always, from a distance. 1 to Namyeong, Exit 2). The times are usu- Back on the bus you’ll be taken to one of ally Saturday and Sunday from 7.30am Panmunjeom’s lookout posts from where to 3.30pm, with occasional additional you can see the two villages within the tours on Wednesday, 12.30pm to 7.40pm. DMZ: Daeseong-dong in the South and Bring a packed lunch, or budget around Gijeong-dong in the North; Gijeong-dong ₩10,000 for lunch at the restaurant stop. is also known by the South as Propaganda Plenty of other tour companies offer Village because virtually all the buildings DMZ tours but they are more expensive are empty or just facades. (around ₩135,000 for ones that include